Work Retreatants – Volunteers

Work Retreatants – Volunteers

Working here is a practice of service, of silence, caring for 20 to 80 visitors on retreat each week, living and working alongside other staff and full time residents.

Work retreatants will work 5 hours per day, 6 days a week with 1 day off a week.  There are staff/team meditation periods morning and evening which you are encouraged to attend and you will meet with a teacher/facilitator to discuss your time and practice here. There maybe the opportunity to participate in some (not all) of Le Moulin retreats and events. 

If you are considering taking this post you should have previous retreat experience, at Le Moulin or elsewhere. Work retreatants commitment typically runs from middle of April until September or October but differs each year depending on our schedule.

Below are descriptions of different volunteer positions and availability:

KITCHEN ASSISTANT

It is important to have had cooking experience beforehand and to enjoy preparing food, cooking and keeping the kitchen clean.

Being able to speak basic french would also be very helpful

This job will include the following

• Assisting the kitchen chef with lunch and dinner preparation
• Breakfast preparation and put out
• Washing up
• Keeping the kitchen clean
• Compiling a shopping list
• Collecting bread from our local boulangerie
• Going shopping
• Cooking for the staff
• You may also be asked to help out in the household area

Availability for Kitchen assistant – Dates for 2020

Option A – April until beginning of May – Position filled
Option B – 4th – 30th May
Option C – 1st – 29th June –  Position filled
Option D – 3rd – 27th July  – Position filled
Option E – 1st August  – 7th September – 2 people
Option F – 12th September – 13th October – 2 people
Option G – 12th October – 3rd November – 2 people  

If you are interested in the above available positions, please fill out the Work Retreat application form below. If applicable, if you would like to do only one month, either the first month or last month of the different options, contact the office for availability.

HOUSEHOLD ASSISTANT

For this volunteer position, you need to enjoy cleaning and looking after the household. Below are some details about what to expect. If you speak English, it is useful to have some basic french, and visa versa.This job will include the following:

Up keep and cleaning of all communal areas, (Meditation hall, New big hall, bedrooms, dinning room, bathrooms etc).
Laundry.
Explaining job description to retreatants.
Preparing rooms during retreat change over.
Being available to help out in the kitchen and/or garden when necessary.
Assisting the general manager when needed.

Availability for household assistant  – Dates for 2020

Option A – 3rd – 27th July – Position filled
Option B – No availability
Option C – No availability
Option D – No availability

If you are interested in the above available positions, please fill out the Work Retreat application form below. For 2 months work retreats, if you would like to do only one month, either the first month or last month of the different options, contact the office for availability.